Level Up Coming in June and July 2011
Spring 2011 Shoulder To Shoulder is preparing for our summer camp Level Up.
Level Up is designed to provide a real, relevant and fun competitive learning environment that is team-based. It functions as a continuation of our after school program and provides an alternative to a summer spent on the streets. LU operates on the campus of Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy in the Del Paso Heights community of Sacramento.
2009 Level Up was a success. We anticipate a great turnout for 2011 as well.
The Young Men talk about Freedom Hall
Several young men from Freedom Hall(FH) talk about their experience and how FH changed their lives.
Read more“Because We Care” Draws Over 400 Volunteers
Volunteers make Del Paso Heights a more beautiful place to live
On Saturday, October 23, 2010, Shoulder to Shoulder (STS) partnered with the Twin Rivers Unified School District (TRUSD), local businesses, churches and colleges from throughout California for the 4th Annual Because We Care (BWC) school beautification project on six Twin Rivers district campuses: Rio Linda High, Grant High, Rio Tierra Middle School, Madison Elementary, Babcock Elementary, and Smythe Academy K-6.
This beautification effort was the largest in the event’s history. Despite rainy weather, volunteers were able to complete over 52 detailed projects established by TRUSD, including planting trees, laying sod, laying bark, and extensive weeding and trimming. Due to the large number of volunteers and the speed in which the projects were completed, Twin Rivers representatives were able to assign more projects at each site and many volunteers were even able to come back to Martin Luther King Technology Academy (MLK) and provide some clean-up. Community clean-up also took place in the neighborhoods around Grant High and Rio Tierra Middle School with thousands of pounds of trash hauled off by Sacramento County.
While the visual transformation to the campuses is impressive, the personal transformation of the volunteers and transformation to the community is just as impacting.
“My blindness to what’s out there became transparent. Living in So Cal and Irvine, I see I’m really greedy and selfish. This opportunity opened my eyes and teaches me to give back.”
-Tim from UC Irvine
During the event, over 400 volunteers descended on the TRUSD, serving for 8 hours each, providing over 3200 man hours. This event was predominately youth-driven, as more than ¾ of the volunteers were under the age of 21. Over 150 of these volunteers joined STS from Navigator groups from the campuses of CSU Long Beach, Rio Hondo Community college, San Diego State, Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, UCLA, UC Irvine, USC, UC San Diego, and UC Riverside. These students drove great distances and slept on the MLK gym floor in order to serve the North Sacramento area. Students groups also participated from UC Davis, Simpson University, California Baptist University and Jesuit High School. Recognizing the impact they could make for their school district, students from Highlands High, Foothill High, Grant High and various other campuses in TRUSD also joined the effort to clean-up their own school district.
I brought two individuals. They were amazed that college students would, of their own choosing, come up and help to improve someone’s else’s community this way. They also commented about the volunteers just working and working. I think everyone was amazed as they walked the campus at the end of the day just how changed the place was.
- David, STS Site Coordinator
BWC kicked-off at two locations, MLK and Madison Elementary, with breakfast, safety instructions and a group picture before volunteers began work on six designated campuses. After the service projects were completed, volunteers returned to MLK where STS provided a barbecue dinner, encouragement and a fun evening for all volunteers who stayed.
This event could not have been completed without the contribution of many community partners. TRUSD provided project oversight, materials, tools, transportation of volunteers as well as breakfast and lunch for all volunteers on the day of the event. The tool kits they created allowed the volunteers to be highly efficient in completing the projects. Joining Because We Care for the fourth year, Teichert Construction provided equipment and manpower that was crucial in completing several projects, and Sacramento Food Bank provided food items for the volunteers. Sacramento County picked up all piles created in the community clean-up and allowed us to dump for free. These partners, among many others, made the event possible.
Thanks to the efforts of our many volunteers and community partners this event was a huge success! STS sincerely thanks all who were involved in the effort and we look forward to partnering with the community for this event in the future.
See slideshow at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfJHvrnEc-E
Thank you to our sponsors!
Because We Care Project is here!
Shoulder To Shoulder (STS) is preparing its 4th Annual Beautification project, Because We Care, will be held Saturday, October 23rd from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Please print, fill-out and bring to the event the Liability Release below.
Read moreKick-off Breakfast Engages the Community
September 22nd “Shoulder to Shoulder” (STS) launched their multi-year campaign to “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness in Del Paso Heights”. The event, held at First Presbyterian Church in Roseville, was attended by over 120 community leaders who represented different churches and businesses. Assemblymen Ted Gaines was the Master of Ceremonies for the breakfast and shared his support for STS and the vision to equip urban fatherless young men for life, enabling them to become well-balanced, mature men in their family and community, and breaking the cycle of fatherlessness. Three speakers, Bill Coibion, Founder and President of STS; Dr. Sam Huddleston, a member of the STS’s Advisory Board; and Sherwood Carthen, Chaplain for the Sacramento Kings, shared their encouragement for the cause and efforts of the staff and volunteers at STS.
Community leaders enjoyed a delicious breakfast catered by Randy Peters Catering before the day’s program began. STS’s mentoring effort, Freedom Hall, is located on the campus of Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy in Del Paso Heights, Sacramento. After an inspiring video about Freedom Hall, which included the voices of 12 different people about how Shoulder To Shoulder, has impacted them, Bill Coibion spoke briefly about the vision, mission and background of STS, followed by a brief message from Sam Huddleston. Then STS’s, Man on the Street, Don Male, interviewed several urban fatherless young men involved in Freedom Hall, grateful mothers, and some of the mentors involved in the program. Their sharing revealed to community leaders the impact Freedom Hall has on young men in 2 to 3 years. In addition, Frank Porter, Superintendent of Twin Rivers School District and Board of Trustees President, Michelle Rivas, shared their support and appreciation for the efforts of STS and the impact it has had at MLK and the District.
Sherwood Carthen then shared an inspiring message about the true definition of success. His message inspired community leaders to more clearly see the opportunity to help bring others along with them as an integral part of success.
Team STS was blessed by the supporters that came to the breakfast. The cycle of fatherlessness will only be broken when people come together and decide to make a stand and assist these young men. Our hope is that the breakfast was merely a spark that begins to ignite STS’s multi-year campaign.
STS intends to reach 1,000 businesses and 200 churches to partner with STS over the next 10 years. The goal is to have each church and/or business provide tutors, mentors or give $1,000 a year ($83.33 a month) to support one of our young men. Meeting this goal will help “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness” in Del Paso Heights.
Community gathers to discuss ways to support STS
September 22 Breakfast to Benefit Shoulder To Shoulder
The First Presbyterian Church in Roseville will be the site of Shoulder To Shoulder’s campaign kick-off to “Break the Cycle of Fatherlessness” in Del Paso Heights. The event will be held on Wednesday, September 22 at 7a.m. and feature breakfast with 200 business and community leaders, success stories and information about how to get involved. Table sponsorships are available; call (916) 285-5422.
Shoulder To Shoulder operates a youth development program for fatherless young men on the campuses of Martin Luther King Jr. Technology Academy and Grant High School in Del Paso Heights. The program provides mentoring, tutoring, character development, and engages youth in community service.
Founder Bill Coibion states, “We teach the keys to a prosperous life: having a goal, a vision, a dream; believing you can achieve it, working hard and avoiding distractions.” The program has served 80 youth since 2007. Last year, 38 students who wanted to join the program could not because of the agency’s limited resources.
According to Gallup, 72% of Americans believe that fatherlessness is our biggest social problem. The absence of a father leaves young men angry, struggling with questions about their identity and ill prepared for life. Where there is significant fatherlessness, there is significant poverty, leading to lower academic achievement, increased drop-out rates, gang involvement, and subsequent incarceration, while perpetuating the cycle of fatherlessness.
“I love Shoulder To Shoulder,” says MLK Principal Samuel Harris. “The program has improved my school tremendously. I have boys who have gone from 1.0 GPA to 3.0 GPA. It has made a powerful difference.”
In Del Paso Heights, approximately 70% of youth live in a fatherless home. Shoulder To Shoulder’s goal this year is to raise $50,000 and recruit 30 volunteers to mentor 60 fatherless young men.
Founded in 1996, Shoulder To Shoulder (STS) is a community-sponsored, faith-based non-profit corporation serving urban fatherless young men from middle school to high school graduation. Our vision is to equip urban fatherless young men for life, enabling them to become well-balanced, mature men in their family and community, breaking the cycle of fatherlessness.
Read moreFreedom Hall Holds Open House Throughout The Year
Open Houses during 2010 at Freedom Hall were held Thursday April 22nd, August 19th, and November 11th. STS expects that individuals from the community will come and learn about what is going on at Freedom Hall. They were able to meet our fatherless young men involved in the mentorship program at Freedom Hall, along with their single moms. The food will be awesome as well as the live music and festive environment. Guests will be able to meet STS staff, volunteers, the Board of Directors, members of our Advisory Board, leaders in the Twin Rivers Unified School District and hear about how Freedom Hall has impacted fatherless young men and their moms.
Freedom Hall Completes Its Third Year
Freedom Hall, an after-school mentoring program, in its third year of mentoring urban fatherless young men in North Sacramento, operates three days a week working in a team-based environment to develop character growth, improve academic performance, and enhance life skills through long term mentoring from 6th grade through high school graduation. STS exposes urban fatherless young men to area businesses and points of interest they have never had the chance to experience. Academic challenges are held three times during the school year, and the winning teams of young men get to go on fun trips such as: fishing in Lake Tahoe, hiking in the Sierras, camping (where they have experienced snow for the first time!), visit a marine college campus and toured their ocean ship. After enrolling their sons in Freedom Hall, moms have reported positive character changes in their sons’ behavior at home and academic improvement at school at school.
Read moreSTS Recognized As Effective Mentoring
The Shoulder To Shoulder Program is a model of effective mentoring that we hope to emulate at other schools within our District
Frank S. Porter, Superintendent Twin Rivers Unified School District
Read moreThe Summer Group Goes Level Up
Staff and volunteers provided 30 at-risk fatherless young men a learning environment that is real, relevant, and fun with Level Up, our summer program at Freedom Hall. An intense 50 hours per week, Level Up continued math and reading support, incorporated art and team building activities, and culminated with a week at Camp Del Oro in Nevada City. Debra Greene from News-talk 1530 KFBK interviewed our fatherless young men at Level Up, as well as Shoulder to Shoulder staff, and volunteers.
“Debra Greene from News-talk 1530 KFBK interviewed our fatherless young men at Level Up, as well as Shoulder to Shoulder staff, and volunteers.”
Young men enjoying a week at Camp Del Oro in Nevada City
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